In mid-January, intense flooding across South Africa’s Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces forced Kruger National Park to briefly close to day visitors. Now, South African National Parks (SANParks) says it has reopened some roads and camp infrastructure. “Restoration efforts are ongoing, and visitor safety remains our highest priority,” the agency wrote in a Feb. 2 update. The flooding, which affected large parts of northeastern South Africa and neighboring Mozambique, caused extensive damage to infrastructure in Kruger, one of South Africa’s most visited parks. South Africa’s environment minister, Willie Aucamp, said the cost of repairs could reach $30 million. Tom Vorster is acting director of the Maruleng Tourism Association, which represents 80 tourism-linked companies operating in and around the town of Hoedspruit near Kruger’s Orpen Gate. He told Mongabay that SANParks has been scrambling to construct alternative routes that will allow tourists to access the park. “They are slowly but surely opening where they can and working frantically,” he said. “There are a number of bridges and dam walls and things which have been compromised by the flooding, so bypass roads are being built or rehabilitated frantically.” In a Jan. 22 statement, Aucamp said the flooding had led to a 41% drop in tourist visits compared with the same period in January 2025. He added that the loss of revenue at Kruger “puts the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk.” SANParks spokesperson Reynold Thakhuli told Mongabay he was unable to provide an estimate for the cost or timeline of…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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